Tomy International has announced that Julie Gwaltney has been appointed the vice president of Tomy’s Toys Division.
Tomy International
has announced that Julie Gwaltney has been appointed vice president of its Toy Division. Julie has over 30 years of experience in the toy industry, most recently holding the position of Tomy International’s senior director of Toys.
“We are happy to have Julie assume this role and bring her expertise across additional categories,” said Greg Kilrea, president of Tomy International. “Julie works very well with her team, the designers, our licensors and our industry partners to help find great opportunities for Tomy and make lasting contributions to childhood play.”
Julie will now have all Tomy International toy brands across its Oak Brook, Illinois and Dyersville, Iowa offices, including Lamaze, Club Mocchi- Mocchi- and Tomy Games, as well as adding responsibility for farm toys that include brands like Big Farm, Monster Treads, John Deere Pre-school and Build-A-Buddy lines. Tomy’s Amazon business team will also report to Julie.
“Tomy’s mantra is to ‘Make the World Smile’ and that truly is what I love about my job,” said Julie. “I love knowing we can bring joy to people of all ages and stages in life. I’m looking forward to working directly with more of our talented team across Tomy, and I’m excited about the great things ahead we’ll achieve together.”
Some of Julie’s proudest achievements with Tomy relate to her passion for DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). As a member of Tomy’s DEI Steering Committee, Julie has led efforts to create brands that ensure its diverse customer base can see themselves in product. She has also worked with the Walmart infant toy team to launch Bebé Fuerte in conjunction with Robin Arzón, VP of Fitness Programming and head instructor at Peloton.
Julie, second from right, with marketing colleagues from Tomy’s US offices
Julie has also been a member of Women in Toys (WiT) since 2021, is the Chicago Chapter co-chair and serves on the Board of Directors as a member of the Executive Committee.
“Women In Toys has been one of the best experiences I’ve had in the industry,” said Julie. “Having the opportunity to meet with other female leaders dedicated to the industry has been enriching for me, both professionally and personally. I am also very proud Tomy signed on as a sponsor of WiT to demonstrate support for the group’s initiatives.”
Julie was also recently elected to the Board of Trustees for The Toy Foundation and is looking forward to giving back through service and fundraising efforts through the organisation.
